The Last Shifter (a Loki romance)

Chapter 73

My first concern was where I was. I had to get back to Loki. Before Romanoff and Banner could get their bearings, I shifted into a thrush and got back into the lab. Once there, I grabbed the scepter off the floor, camouflaged myself, and took off running.

The halls of the Helicarrier were in chaos, something about enemy agents infiltrating the carrier. The agents seemed to either be heading for the bridge, the cargo bays, or the detention section. Getting past them was easy but when I reached Loki's cell, a roar echoed throughout the ship, making the ground tremble. The Hulk had been unleashed. Loki, who was sitting on the bench, smirked, something that turned into a full-out grin when I revealed myself with the scepter.

"My darling. I hope your cover does not get blown by you doing this."

"It's already blown. You need to get out of here." I opened the glass and let him out.

"What's your plan?"

"The team must be scattered. I intend to leave Barton here, but Thor must be....jettisoned. He will survive the fall from here. The Hulk will take care of itself. They need him off the ship as much as I do so that won't be an issue. I suspect they will send down of their upper class agents. Hopefully it will be someone whose death will mean something to the team and bring them together."

"About that, I doubt they'll ever be a true team unless they have a bigger common enemy. Steve and Stark really don't get along."

"Not my problem." I gave him the scepter and he left a clone inside the cage.

"Get out of here, before they see you."

"No. I'll stay low until you kill the agent. I'll make sure the cameras see me try and fight you."

"Won't they see you helping me now?" He glanced up at them, "They are not functioning."

"Mmm. I don't know then. I'll figure something out."

"When will I see you next?"

"I do not know. The final battle, probably."

"I mean alone. When will be alone together next?"

"I cannot say."

"Then I will have to make this last." Loki wrapped his arms around my torso, under my arms, and across my shoulder blades, trapping me in an embrace as he planted his lips on mine. I wasn't sure why I felt so reluctant to leave him, perhaps because the next time we saw one another, we would be fighting. Or he would be our prisoner. Either way, we would not be able to be together. After a few moments, I felt his tongue brush against my lips, silently asking permission, something I granted quickly. When he finally let up, I pushed back against him and he allowed my tongue into his own mouth. Even when we slept together, Loki had never relinquished control over to me, so I took advantage of this opportunity, drinking in his scent of leather and absorbing his wintergreen taste. My hands crept up his back and into his hair, which was stiff with the gel he had put in it. When as last we had to part, both of us were breathing heavily.

"I love you." I had to pant and recover a bit before I could respond.

"I know. I love you too. Forever and always." Loki turned into a SHIELD agent and went out of sight with the scepter and kept another clone lying in wait invisibly at the console. I stepped back into the shadows myself.

It wasn't long before Thor came rushing in. Just in time to see the door to the cage opening.

"NO!" He rushed for the door and dove at Loki, but made no contact. He went right through Loki and into the cage. From there, the door slid closed and the clone by the console made himself known.